The arrest of Prince Andrew

Prince Andrew arrested: brother of King Charles III detained on suspicion of misconduct in public office.

Former Prince Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor, 66, brother of King Charles III, was arrested this Thursday (19) at his residence in the county of Norfolk, in eastern England. Thames Valley Police confirmed the arrest of a man in his 60s on suspicion of “misconduct in public office”. Although the corporation did not disclose the name of the detainee – claiming to protect the integrity of the investigation -, the BBC identified the suspect as Andrew himself.

The arrest comes exactly one week after the British police announced the formal opening of an investigation into whether the former prince sent confidential reports to billionaire Jeffrey Epstein while serving as the United Kingdom’s special representative for International Trade, a position he held between 2001 and 2011. According to sources close to the investigation, the documents would have been passed on to the American financier years before Epstein was arrested for sex trafficking of minors.

Deputy Chief Constable Oliver Wright said in an official statement: “After a thorough assessment, we have now opened an investigation into this allegation of misconduct in public office. It is important that we protect the integrity and objectivity of our investigation as we work with our partners to investigate this alleged wrongdoing.”

Police are carrying out simultaneous searches at two addresses: one in Berkshire and the other in Norfolk, where Andrew has lived since being evicted from his official residence in Windsor. He could remain in custody for up to 96 hours for questioning. If you are convicted of the crime of misconduct in public office, the maximum penalty under British law is life imprisonment.

The arrest represents the most serious chapter yet in the long saga that has turned Andrew into the most troubled member of the British royal family. In October 2025, King Charles III ordered the withdrawal of all his brother’s royal titles — including Duke of York — and his expulsion from any public role. The decision came after new revelations in the Epstein case files that once again exposed the intimate friendship between the two.

Andrew has always denied any wrongdoing. He also denies accusations of sexual assault made by American Virginia Giuffre, who claimed to have been abused by the prince when she was still a minor. Giuffre, the prosecution’s main witness in the Epstein scandal, died by suicide in Australia on April 25, 2025, aged 41.

The royal family lives days of high tension. Last Monday (February 9), Prince William and Princess Kate Middleton released a statement stating that they were “deeply concerned” about the new revelations about their uncle. Sources at Buckingham Palace say that King Charles III was informed of the arrest this morning and followed the developments with “consternation”.

Andrew was last seen in public a few weeks ago, when he moved into a comfortable country house in Sandringham – a Crown property he occupied after losing Windsor. The residence, dubbed by the British press as “the most comfortable in England”, has become his refuge since the scandal definitively removed him from public life.

This Thursday’s arrest coincides with the day after Andrew’s 66th birthday, which ended on Wednesday. The coincidence increased the symbolism of the moment for a monarchy that is struggling to maintain its image of stability amid successive scandals.

Experts in British law interviewed by English media outlets point out that the crime of misconduct in the exercise of public office is rare, but serious: it requires proof that the public servant acted abusively or dishonestly in the performance of his duties. In Andrew’s case, the accusation revolves around alleged breach of confidentiality and abuse of position to benefit a friend involved in sexual crimes.

The British royal family is therefore experiencing its most delicate moment since the death of Queen Elizabeth II in September 2022. With Charles III facing health problems and the future of the monarchy increasingly depending on the popularity of William and Kate, the Andrew case threatens to reignite debates about the relevance of the institution in the 21st century.

For now, Buckingham Palace is maintaining official silence. Sources close to the Crown indicate that the king intends to treat his brother as an ordinary citizen — without royal privileges or interference in the police investigation.

Former Prince Andrew’s arrest is not just another royal scandal. It’s the culmination of a story that began with luxurious parties on private islands, flights on Epstein’s private jet and compromising photographs — and which now reaches the police station. What was once a tabloid rumor turned into a criminal investigation with the potential to definitively mark the legacy of the House of Windsor.

While the police continue the searches and interrogation, the United Kingdom — and the world — follows the outcome of a case that exposes like few others the fragility between power, friendship and justice.